"We have the highest incarceration rate in Africa and in the world with about 3.5 out of 1 000 citizens being in our correctional centres," director of the Judicial Inspectorate of Prisons, Morris Coetzee, told parliament on Wednesday.
He said there was a marked improvement in the reduction of overcrowding in prisons. Overcrowding, he said, had been reduced from 170% to 139% of prison capacity. "Now that's significant especially if you consider that world-wide correctional centres are suffering from overcrowding at an increasing number.
"We have reformed from international trends in that regard," he said.
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Politics/SA-has-highest-ratio-in-prisons-20101117